Images: Dynamite Signs Christopher Priest to Celebrate VAMPIRELLA’s 50th Anniversary with New Series

Josh Millican |

Apr 8, 2019

The folks at Dynamite have been burning the midnight oil in the lead-up to Free Comic Book Day on May 4th. We recently reported on their upcoming mashup of John Carter and Tim Burton’s Mars Attacks, Warlord of Mars Attacks, as well as their Vampirella collaboration with Playboy.

Since 2019 marks Vampirella‘s 50th Anniversary, Dynamite has a second project in the works dedicated to the seminal female antihero. A new series featuring Vampirella will be launched in July at San Diego Comic-Con (which, coincidentally, is celebrating its 50th convention). Here’s the scoop from today’s press release:

Following a Free Comic Book Day #0 issue shrouded in mystery, Vampirella is celebrating her big banner 50th Gold Anniversary in July 2019! And a new series is exactly what she and her fans need to celebrate this milestone! The one and only fan-favorite and critically acclaimed writer Christopher Priest (Black Panther, Deathstroke, Justice League) is bringing his trademark literary and inventive stylings to one of the most influential, beloved female characters in comic books. Don’t miss the debut of his run in Vampirella FCBD #0 on Saturday May 4th!

“This version of Vampirella is set in the real world, as real as I’m allowed to make it,” said Christopher Priest. “What if an alien from another planet were stranded here? What if that alien looked like one of the Kardashians and wore barely any clothing at all? And had fangs, drank blood and sprouted bat wings? We’d assume she was a vampire. But she’s not a creature of occult origins. She’s a Martian who’s now stuck here with us idiots who stereotype her as this thing because she looks and functions a certain way. That would seem to be an allegory for how we treat each other; for racism, xenophobia, homophobia and religious persecution.”

Issue #1 will feature six variant covers; check them out in the gallery below, which also includes a sneak peek at what’s inside!